RE: Why online advertising sucks

From: Nelson E. Timken, Esq. <netimken_at_erols.com>
Date: Wed 28 Feb 2001 11:02:13 -0600

TERRY LEFTON <tlefton_at_thestandard.com> WROTE:

>I'm thinking there is actually a backlash,
>where clients are avoiding online advertising
>since it didn't deliver on the initial problem."

By "delivering on the initial problem", do you mean
converting the eyeballs obtained from banners or
other advertising methods to sales? Or do you mean
simply getting eyeballs to their sites? There is a big
difference.

In the first instance, the fault lies with the advertiser-
since once you get the audience to your site, what
happens next is up to you and the responsibility for
much of the failure lies with the failure of many of
these large companies to understand what the online
world is about and what their expectations reasonably
should be from the audience once it gets to their site.
Once you get the attention of your audience, issues
such as site usability and customer service then come
into play. How you handle the online experience of the
user once they arrive determines whether you convert,
whether they return, bookmark your site, etc.

In the second instance, getting the attention of a target
audience, I think the problem lies in how you attract their
attention (banners, search engines, content, value-added
services). If you simply throw banners their way, click
through rates show why you will be disappointed with the
result. The internet is all about content. As a magazine,
you guys know that better than anyone- people are attracted
to your site by the quality of the experience you give them
informationally and educationally. The anomaly is that no
one wants to pay for that content, either in the form of
cash, or by having their viewing experience interrupted by
advertising. Hence the very interesting discussion on this
forum about popups- and the fact that most viewers do
not want their search for content/information on the net
interrupted in ANY way, even by a popup banner that disappears
after a few second and is thereby less intrusive. I think what
has to happen to increase the viability of online advertising
is for surfers to become acclimated to the fact that, like
TV commercials, their viewing experience is going to be
interrupted, albeit briefly, by companies whose sponsorship
enables their ability to procure the content they want to
obtain. Once the mindset of the online surfer becomes
accustomed to the fact that advertising is a part of the
"big picture", I think large companies will be more inclined to
view online advertising the way they view advertising on
other media venues such as radio and television. Until that
happens, viewers will see the internet as a place where they
can properly obtain information at NO cost, and without
ANY interruptions from companies whose money enables
that content, and that will, in my humble opinion, dampen
the attractiveness and perceived effectiveness of the online
world as a vehicle for targeted advertising.

Nelson Timken, Dir. Business Development
Ground Floor Ventures Incubator, Hoboken, NJ
(p)201-420-4446 (f)201-420-9176 http://www.groundfloorventures.com



Received on Wed Feb 28 2001 - 11:02:13 CST